Driving mechanism



Feb. 9, 1932.

L 2 l J I J 3 A6 J.

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i i W E 63 6 9 A 2 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR M Mari/ ATTORNEYS Feb. 9, 1932.

L. B. GREEN DRIVING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 21, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 INVENTOR ATTOR N EYJ Patented Feb. 9, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Ilhltllll l)? LAKEWOOD, lDHIU, ASSIGINOR TO THE BORDEN COMPANY, OF WARREN, "OM10, GDRPQKATION 01* OHIO IMRIWINU' MECHANISM Application riled heptem'her 21, 1923. Serial No. 307,448.

L tor at any speed between zero and r msurmount the speed changes being efwhile the machine is in operation by v the manual movement in a longitl direction of the shaft which drives r. The present invention in some "1 the nature of an improvement closure in my copending applil No, 292,149, filed July 12, 1928. objects of the invention is the i t simple and efiective oscillai've mechanism, the speed of which altered while the mechanism is in ion. tether object is the provision of a drive a itator washing machines in which the a control shaft extends upwardly through the oscillator drive gearing for operative connection with a wringer located in e customary position at the side of the inpg tub. iother object is the provision of speed changing means of such a character that the speed may he reduced to zero, that is to say a controlwhich is capable not only of speed changes but of employment for starting and stopping the mechanism.

Other objects and features of novelty will appear as l proceed with the description of that embodiment of the invention which, for the purposes of the present application, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawinpgs in which:

Fig l is a central vertical sectional View of a portion of a washing machine embodying the present invention;

lEig. 2 is a plan view of the gearing and the-lower half of the gear casing;

tory motion of the washing ma- Figs. 3 and 4 are horizontal sectional de tail views taken substantially on the lines 3 3 and 4r-4 respectively, of Fig. 1;

l ig. 5 is a detail vertical sectional View ta-lrien substantially on the line 5 5, Fig. 2; anc

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional detail view taken on the line 6-43, Fig 1, i

In the drawings, 1 have illustrated the tub of a washing machine at l0. Extending upwardly into the tub at the center thereof is a hollow post 11 having at its upper end a bushing 12 for'a vertical shaft 13. The protruding upper end of the shaft 13 carries the hub extension 14 of an oscillating agitator 15 of any known form.

it gear casing comprising a lower half 16 and an upper half 17 is shown attached at its inner end to the lower extremity of the hollow post Ill, as by means of stud bolts 18. The gear casing extends outward beneath the tub in a radial direction somewhat beyond the outer wall thereof, where it may be sup ported by one of the legs 19 of the machine.

Here it has a vertical partially cylindrical extension 20 which terminates near the upper edge of the tub in a position convenient for connection with the casing or frame of a clothes wringer.

The lower end of the shaft 13 is mounted in a bushing 21 carried by the casing section 16, and within the casing it has secured thereto, as by means of a pin 22, a small gear 23 which meshes with a gear sector 24'l1aving a hub 25 oscillatably mounted upon a stud 26 which has a reduced threaded portion 27 extending through a boss in the bottom wall of the casing section 16 for the reception of a nut 28. In an intermediate position in the sector 24 there is an enlargement 29 in which is formed a hearing or journal for a trunnion pin .30 which is reduced at its upper end and there secured in a hole of corresponding size in one end of a connecting rod 31. Obviously, the reciprocations of the connecting rod lid ' to permit re swing the sector 24 upon the stud 26, and oscillating motion is thereby imparted to the gear 23. The sides of the sector-24 are built up somewhat to form enclosing walls 32 for a purpose to be referred to hereinafter.

33 is a power shaft which may be rotated Ry an electrical motor or other prime mover.

his shaft is rotatable in bearings mounted in the lower half 16 of the gear casing and, in the casing, carries a worm 34 which meshes with a. worm wheel 35 having a hub extension 36 that rotates in bushings 37 and 38 carried in an extension 39 of the casing section 16.

The worm wheel 35 is centrally counterbored on its upper side to rotatably receive a lower hub extension 40 of a pinion 41 which has an upper hub extension 42 rotatable in a bushing 43 carried b an enlargement 44 in the upper half 17 o the gear casing. The pinion 41, and also its hub extensions 40 and 42, are provided with an internal spiral thread in which is mounted a spirally threaded shaft 45. This shaft extends also through a smooth axial opening in the hub extension 36 of the worm wheel 35, being provided with longitudinal key ways 46 engaging keys or 'sp 'nes in the hub extension 36 ative longitudinal movement while preventing relative rotation.

Within the casingextension 20, the shaft carries a grooved collar 47 secured thereto by a pin 48. Above the collar 47, the shaft is flatted on two sides, as indicated clearly in Fig. 3, and has a sliding connection with a sleeve 49 which is similarly flatted. The upper end of the sleeve 49 is pinned to a shaft section 50 which has a bearing in a bearing support 51, the shaft 50 being intended for o erative connection with the driving gears of a clothes wringer (not shown).

On one side of the casing extension 20 there is a removable panel 52, in which is integrally formed a bearin 53 for a rock shaft 54. Outside the bearing 53 the rock shaft has inned thereto a crank 55. Inside the hearing the shaft has pinned thereto a fork 56 provided with hardened studs 57 which run in the groove of the collar 47 The crank 55 may have attached thereto any suitable means for manual operation, as for instance a push and pull rod 58. When the latter is shifted from one position to another, the shaft 54 turns in its bearing and the fork 56 swings accordingly, moving the shaft 45 up or down, the rotary connection of the latter with the worm Wheel 35 and with the sleeve 49 being always maintained, and the spiral connection with the pinion 41 causing rotation of the latter.

To one side of the pinion 41, the worm wheel 35 carries an upwardly extending eccentrically arranged boss 59, which I'have herein illustrated as a crescent-shaped integral projection of the worm wheel, embracing but not touching the :pinion 41. On the cavity in sector 24, lubricating 1,a44,sos

upper surface of the boss 59, I secure by means of-screws 60 a plate 61 which is also crescent shaped but which considerably overhangs the boss 59. Between the plate 61 and the u per surface of the worm wheel 35, there is a rin gear 62 which meshes with the pinion 41. 62 is eccentrically formed and as the usual functions of an eccentric, being normally held in one position upon the surface of the worm wheel 35. This ring gear eccentric is surrounded by a strap 63 which is attached to or made an integral part of the connecting rod 31.

The worm 34 dips into an oil pocket in the lower part of the casing section 16 and its rapid rotation throws oil upwardly, thoroughly lubricating the eccentric bearing, the

gears 41 and 62 and other contacting surfaces. It also throws oil into the troughshaped upper side of the connecting rod 31,

he outer peripher of the gear 9 which oil flows along the rod to a hole 64 ing surfaces of trunnion 30 and journal 25.

The balance of the oil delivered through the hole 64 overflows or is thrown from the the teeth of the sector and. gear 23 and the ower bearing of shaft 13. Hence-effective lubrication of all running parts is secured with a minimum of attention. I

Operation: Assume that the push and pull rod 58 is in' such a position as to cause the fork 56 to be swung upwardly as far as it will go, and the spiral shaft 45 thereby raised to the limit of its longitudinal movement. Under such conditions the ring gear eccentric 62 will be in a position diametrically opposite to that illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, and its outer periphery will be concentric with. the

.mittin any motion whatever to the connecting ro 31 and the oscillator of thewashing machine. a

When the operator desires to begin the washing operation, the rod 58 is pulled to cause the shaft 45 to descend to any desired extent and this movement of the shaft turns the pinion 41 to a corresponding extent, thereby moving the rin gear eccentric 62 around the boss 59, where y the center of the eccentric surface is carried away from the axis of the worm wheel. The eccentric 62 is then rendered effective and the reciprocation of the comiecting rod 31 and oscillation of the sector 24, gear 23 and shaft 13 begins. If the operator lowers the shaft 45 to the limit of its motion, thereby moving the ring gear eccentric 62 to the position illustrated in the drawings, where 1t has its greatest eccentricity,

the swing of the sector 24 for each reciprocation of the connecting rod 31 is at its maximum, and consequently the throw of the agitator and the speed of movement of the latter is also at a maximum. Any intermediate length of stroke and speed of movement of the agitator which may be desired can be obtained by positioning the shaft at the proper intermediate height. In this wa I provide for the rapid washing of coarse' ab rice and the slower, more gentle agitation necessary for the washing of line fabrics. The starting and stopping of the washing operation while the motor shaft 33 is turning continuously can also be effected by the manipulation of the rod 58.

llbviously, the shaft 45 turns continuously 3th the worm wheel 35, being splined thereto, and its movement up and down does not inte re with the continuous rotation of the chart section 5Q attached to the wringer.

ll hile in the foregoing description and appended drawings, l have resorted to a more less detailed disclosure of the invention, it desire it to be understood that such disclosure primarily for the purpose of fully illustrating the invention and is not to be Zlll till

till ing thus described my invention, what 1 in is:

l, a drive mechanism for machines of the 3 described, a rotating wheel, a drive cla member mounted upon said wheel, and means operable during the rotation of the wheel for varying the center position of said drive member relative to the center of the "wheel, a id means comprising a movable element "with said wheel, and a shaft extent nu through said element, said shaft be ing and having means for transmitting rotary motion to a driven rotating part.

in a drive mechanism for machines of the class described, a rotating wheel, a drive member mounted upon said wheel, and means operable during the rotation of the wheel for varying the center position of said drive member relative to the center of the wheel, said means comprising a movable element concentric with said wheel, and a longitudinally slidable shaft spirally keyed to said movable element for rotating the latter, said shaft being slidably lreyed to said wheel to prevent relative rotation therewith, and said shaft having means for transmitting rotary motion "to a driven rotating part.

in a-clriving mechanism for machines of the class described, a rotating wheel, a drive member mounted upon said wheel, a connecting rod opcratively attached to said drive member, means operable during the rotation of the wheel for varying the center position of said drive member relative to the center of the wheel, said means comprising a tilt slidably keyed to the hub of said wheel movable element concentric with said Wheel and operatively connected with said drive member, and a shaft extending through said wheel, movable element and drive member, said shaft being movable longitudinally only in the wheel and spirally with respect to the movable element, and having means for transmitting motion to a rotatable part.

4. In a drive mechanism for machines of the class described, a rotating wheel, a drive member mounted upon said wheel, a connecting rod operatively attached to said drive member, means operable during the rotation of the wheel for varying the center position of said drive member relative to the center of the wheel, said means comprising a movable element concentric with said wheel and operatively connected with said drive member, a shaft extending through said wheel, movable element and drive member, said shaft being movable longitudinally only in the wheel and spirally with respect to the movable element, and having means for transmitting motion to a rotatable part, and means for moving said shaft longitudinally during its rotation.

5. In a drive mechanism for machines of the class described, a rotating wheel, a drive member mounted upon said wheel, a connecting rod operatively attached to said drive member, means operable during the rotation of the wheel for varying the center position of said drive member relative to the center of the wheel, said means comprising a movable element concentric with said wheel and operatively connected with said drive memher, a shaft extending through said wheel, movable element and drive member, said shaft being movable longitudinally only in the wheel and spirally with respect to the movable element, and having means for transmitting motion to a rotatable part, and means for moving said shaft longitudinally during its rotation, there being a slidable connection between said shaft and said rotatable part to accommodate the longitudinal movement of the shaft.

6. in a drive mechanism for machines of the class described, a horizontal rotating wheel, a pinion concentrically mounted upon said wheel and projecting thereabove, an eccentrically arranged boss on said wheel projecting upwardly therefrom adjacent said pinion, a ring gear formed with an eccentric periphery, said ring gear resting upon said wheel surrounding said boss and pinion and meshing with the latter, a connecting rod having a strap surrounding the eccentric periphery of said ring gear, and means operable during the rotation of the wheel for turning said pinion with respect to the wheel. I

7. In a drive mechanism for machines of the class described, a horizontal rotating wheel, a pinion concentrically mounted upon said wheel and projecting thereabove, an

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eccentrically arranged boss on said wheel projecting upwardly therefrom adjacent said pinion, a ring gear formed with an eccentric periphery, said ring gear resting upon said wheel surrounding said boss and pinion and meshing with the latter, a connecting rod having a strap surrounding the eccentric periphe'ry of said ring gear, and a shaft keyed to and longitudinally movable through-the hub of said wheel and spirally connected with said pinion for turning the latter with respect to the wheel during the rotation of the wheel.

8. In a drive mechanism for machines of the class described, a horizontal rotating wheel, a pinion concentrically mounted upon said wheel and projecting thereabove, an eccentrically arranged boss on said wheel projecting upwardly therefrom adjacent said pinlon, a ring gear formed with an eccentric periphery, said ring gear rest-ing upon said wheel surrounding said boss and pinion and meshing with the latter, a connecting rod having a strap surrounding the eccentric periphery of said ring gear, a shaft keyed to and longitudinally movable through the hub of said wheel and spirally connected with said pinion for turning the latter with respect to the,

wheel during the rotation of the wheel, said shaft extending through the pinion and having means for transmitting motion to a rotatable part.

' 9. In a drive mechanism for washing agitators and clothes wringers, a driven shaft ada ted to be operatively connected with the clot es wringer and capable of a limited longitudinal movement, a ringeccentrically surrounding said shaft and rotatable therewith, a connecting rod arranged to be driven by said eccentric for actuating the agitator, and means for shifting the center of said ring eccentric toward and away from the axis of said shaft, said means beingadapted to be actuated during the rotation of the shaft by the longitudinal movement of the shaft.

10- In a drive mechanism for washing agitators and clothes wringers, a driven shaft adapted to be operatively connected with the clothes wringer and capable of a limited longitudinal movement, a ring eccentrically surrounding said shaft and rotatable therewith, a connecting rod arranged to be driven by said eccentric for actuating the agitator, and means for shifting the center of said ring eccentric toward and away from the axis of signature.

- LEE B. GREEN;

said shaft, said means comprising an element surrounding said shaft and spirally connected therewith for relative rotation during the longitudinal movements of the shaft.

11. In a drive mechanism for washing agitators and clothes wringers, a driven shaft adapted to be operatively connected with the clothes wringer and capable of a limited lon-' gitudinal movement, a ring eccentrically surrounding said shaft and rotatable therewith, 

